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A meal of grilled new-crop spring onions with smoky romesco sauce is an annual tradition in Catalonia. This version of that ritual Spanish meal includes succulent shrimp, providing an added boost of protein that makes for a satisfying starter or light meal. Jarred sweet piquillo peppers for authentic romesco are sold in specialty-food stores and online, but roasted red bell peppers can be substituted.
Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat, or use a stove-top grill pan. Oil the grill grate or pan. To make the romesco sauce, in a blender, combine the piquillo peppers, almonds, olive oil, garlic, and paprika and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and season with salt. Set aside at room temperature.
In a bowl, combine the shrimp, 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, the garlic, and the paprika and turn to coat the shrimp evenly. Coat the spring onions and lemons lightly with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil.
Arrange the shrimp on the grill rack or pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the spring onions and lemons, cut-side down. Cook, turning all the items as needed, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the spring onions and lemons are lightly charred, about 6 minutes total for the shrimp and 3 minutes total for the spring onions and lemons. Transfer the shrimp, green onions, and lemons to a platter, and serve with the romesco sauce.
Grilled Shrimp
with Green Onions & Romesco
Starters & Soups31
8 SERVINGS
3 cups (700 g) coarse kosher salt3 cups (600 g) sugar
3 lb (1.5 kg) beets, peeled and grated
2 lb (1 kg) skinless salmon fillets
FOR SERVING
2 heads Little Gem lettuce (about 6 oz/175 g total weight), leaves separated
6 oz (180 g) green beans, trimmed, cooked until tender-crisp, and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths
¾ lb (350 g) red potatoes, boiled and cut crosswise into slices ½ inch (12 mm) thick
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut crosswise into slices ½ inch (12 mm) thick (see Tip)
1 pint (340 g) cherry tomatoes,
halved
4 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup (150 g) Castelvetrano olives, halved lengthwise and pittedFlaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups (350 ml) Avocado Green Goddess Dressing (page 186)
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Curing salmon with raw beets produces gorgeous fish marbled with rich hues of pink and red, a perfect showstopper dish for entertaining. Leftovers, if you are lucky, are excellent served the next day for a protein-rich weekend post-workout brunch, paired with multigrain bagels and pickled onion. Ideally, have the fishmonger cut the salmon from the plump center portion of a fillet.
To make the cured salmon, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the salt and sugar, mixing well. Spread half of the beets on the prepared pan in an even layer slightly larger than the salmon. Pour half of the salt mixture over the beets and spread into an even layer to cover. Place the salmon on top of the salt mixture, then cover the salmon evenly with the remaining salt mixture. Spread the remaining beets over the top and pat to pack firmly. Cover the salmon with more parchment and wrap the tray tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 days.
Unwrap the salmon and scrape off and discard the beets and salt mixture. Rinse the salmon under cool running water to remove any last bits of the cure, and pat dry. (At this point, you can wrap the salmon tightly and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.)
To assemble the dish, make a bed of the lettuce leaves on a large platter. Arrange the green beans, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, radishes, and olives on the lettuce. Thinly slice the salmon against the grain and arrange on the platter. Season the salad with flaky salt and fresh pepper, and serve the dressing on the side.
TIPTo hard-cook eggs, place them in a saucepan with enough water to cover by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand until done to your liking, about 10 minutes for slightly runny yolks and up to 14 minutes for firm yolks. Drain the eggs, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
Beet-Cured Salmon Platter
Starters & Soups
4 SERVINGS
8 cups (2 l) low-sodium
chicken broth
1 bunch green onions
2-inch (5-cm) piece fresh ginger,
peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp Asian fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
6 star anise pods
6 cloves
1–1 ¼ lb (500–570 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
Bean sprouts, fresh basil sprigs, fresh cilantro sprigs, and lime wedges, for serving
Hoisin sauce, for serving (optional)
4 baby bok choy
6–7 oz (180–200 g) dried rice stick noodles (maifun)
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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In a large pot over high heat, combine the broth and 2 cups (500 ml) water. Cut the green onion bunch in halfcrosswise and addthe bottom halves to the pot; add the ginger, fish sauce, and sugar. (Thinly slice the green onion tops and reserve.) In a tea ball, combine the star anise and cloves; add to the pot. Bring the broth to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10–15 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside until ready to use. Simmer the broth to develop flavor, 15–30 minutes.
Place the sliced green onions, sliced chiles, bean sprouts, herb sprigs, lime wedges, and
